Cleaning Fireplaces
by justanotherrandomfangirl
Summary: Dobby is a house elf. House elves are supposed to be seen and not heard. But that doesn't mean they don't hear things, things they really shouldn't... Story of Dobby's life.
1. Cleaning Fireplaces

**Cleaning Fireplaces**

"DOBBY!"

Dobby sighed as the oh too familiar screech came from upstairs. He looked down at the fireplace he was cleaning for the third time that week and his shoulders slumped. As a house elf he was bound to do whatever his family required of him, even if it meant practically wearing his shoulders out scrubbing at old floo powder stains.

"Coming Mistress!" He muttered to himself. Then he clicked his fingers and Disapparated upstairs.

"Dobby, why isn't Lucius' bed made yet?" Mrs Malfoy demanded of him. "It's nearly time for my little boy's nap, and you Haven't CHANGED HIS SHEETS YET!"

The last few words rose to a screech and sparks flew out of her wand. Dobby winced at the sight of them.

"P-Please Mistress, D-Dobby was cleaning the f-fireplaces, like M-Mistress told him to e-earlier," he managed to stutter, terrified of what she would say or do next.

"CLEANING THE FIREPLACES? YOU WERE CLEANING THE – GET AND MAKE THAT BED BEFORE I ORDER YOU TO PUNISH YOURSELF AGAIN!"

Dobby cowered under the weight of her voice. He hated feeling powerless like this, hated being under someone else's control. He definitely hated the feeling of being pulled towards his task without any option in the matter. But he was a house-elf and house-elves did what they were told. So he heaved another unheard sigh and trudged into the next room to make up baby Lucius' bed yet again. The kid must have slept in more sets of bedclothes than most children four times his age, and he was still only a year old! At least this task only required a quick snap of his fingers and a little straightening of sheets before it was complete. He felt a little better every time he used magic, which he was still only getting the hang of properly.

Not for the first time, he found his mind wandering back to the days before Lucius was born, before his Mistress had become practically germo-phobic and his Master had become so bad. Back when Dobby was only a baby house elf and he had been able to wander the house as he pleased, as long as the Master didn't see him. That seemed like so long ago now yet it was only a few short years. Dobby cast his mind back to his Mama, who had taught him all he needed to know about being a good house-elf. She had been a servant to the Malfoys too, and had been worked to the bone, but always had a smile for Dobby at the end of the day. She was dead now, and finally at rest. Dobby still cried over it sometimes, but he knew she was in a better place now so he tried to only think of the positive memories.

He was jerked back to reality when he felt the tug at his chest that meant he was being called by someone he couldn't hear. He snapped his fingers and Disapparated to find out what it was he was being summoned for this time…


	2. Punishment

**Punishment.**

**A/N: This chapter is going to be set about 5 years later than the first chapter, as I want Lucius to be a bit older. Also it's shorter as I hate this part. (SPEW All the way! But it did have to be in here somewhere)**

"Dobby did it!"

"Are you sure it wasn't you Lucius?"

"Yup! I sawded him do it!"

"Saw him. DOBBY!"

Dobby, who had been eavesdropping since he had heard a crash from the kitchen, groaned and crept into the kitchen.

"You called Dobby, Sir?"

"Yes, I did. M'boy Lucius says you knocked over this priceless suit of armour. Clean it up and then go iron your hands as punishment. Come along Lucius." Mr Malfoy strode out of the room, followed by a now six year old Lucius, who turned and smirked at Dobby on his way out. Dobby clenched his fists.

He really hated that boy. He was always trying to get Dobby in trouble with his Master. Dobby couldn't wait until the day that he left to go to Hogwarts. Slowly he started to gather the pieces of the suit together so he could make sure they weren't damaged. Once he had made certain they weren't, it was a simple snap of his fingers and it was done. Now the painful part.

Dobby went down to where the iron was kept and set it up as slowly as he could. It unfortunately didn't take very long. Shaking, he laid his long fingers out and pressed the iron on top. He gulped down his scream with difficulty, but he knew that it would only get him further punishment if he screamed. After moving the iron back and forward for a few minutes, he lifted the iron off his fingers and clutched them to his chest gingerly. The he ran to the sink where he had put water ready for his burnt hand. He dunked his hand in for a few minutes and then crossed to the cupboard where he kept his bandages and carefully wrapped up his hand. This was a well-practiced routine, as ironing his hands was a favourite punishment of the Master's. Dobby's mistress preferred banging his head off the wall or on occasion whipping himself.

Dobby liked none of them. In fact he hated them. He hated the punishments, the hard chores and most of all he Hated the Malfoys.

**A/N: I'm Sorry!**


	3. Diagon Alley

**Diagon Alley**

**A/N: Again this chapter is set 5 years later, just so we can get to Lucius going to school etc. The story is going somewhere I promise! (BettinaW I know... Its horrible, but I'm going to try and get through all those years as quickly as I can)**

Dobby watched from the upstairs hallway as the Malfoys finished getting ready to bring Lucius on his first trip to Diagon alley for school supplies. He could tell that his young master was excited, as he kept smoothing his oiled hair and bobbing up and down on his toes. Earlier, Dobby had asked the boy what he was most looking forward to, to which he had received the answer, "My _wand_ of course!"

Dobby couldn't wait for Lucius to leave for Hogwarts. There had been some talk of sending him to another school called Durmstrang or something like that. Dobby hadn't quite caught the name of it through the keyhole. Anyway, he ended up going to Hogwarts, and it was only a few short weeks until he left and Dobby hands might finally get to heal. He had had to iron his hands more times than he could count over the past few years, as that particular punishment had become a favourite of Lucius Malfoy too. It had only served to make Dobby hate him even more.

Dobby's master and mistress were almost ready, and Dobby knew that they would call him at any moment. Sure enough the call came a second later.

"DOBBY!" Dobby sighed.

"Coming Master."

They arrived in Diagon alley a few minutes later, having Apparated from Malfoy Manor once everyone was ready. Lucius had left his booklist in his room so Dobby had been sent to get it.

"Now, first stop Flourish & Blotts I think," Mr Malfoy puffed. Dobby knew that travelling by Apparation made his master a little out of breath for a few minutes afterwards.

"Yes, Abraxas," Mrs Malfoy nodded, "then Ollivander's because Lucius is simply dying to get his wand."

"Yes, yes. But Lucius m'boy, you know that this wand we are going to buy you is only for school, and maybe a few years after that. Eventually, You will use this wand, like every Malfoy boy has done for centuries." Abraxas Malfoy showed his son the wand, which was concealed in his cane. "Now, let's be off to the bookshop!"

The family started to meander down the street, through the throngs of people. Dobby trailed a little way behind, trying to put as much distance as possible between his masters and himself. He cast his eyes around in wonder at all the different shops. He had been to Diagon Alley before, but it never ceased to amaze him. It was then that he saw her.

**A/N: Who could it be? Tell me who you think it is… And Please rate and Review! I want to know what the people think!**


	4. The other House Elf

**The other house elf**

She was standing near Flourish & Blotts, with a pile of boxes and bags in her arms that was almost making her fall over. She seemed to be waiting for someone, probably her master or mistress. Dobby drew nearer, still following the Malfoys. As he watched, a witch came hurriedly out of the shop and sent the little house elf flying. Without thinking, Dobby ran to help her.

"Let Dobby help you up," he said, "that witch made you drop all your things. Are you okay?"

"Winky is fine," the tiny house elf replied.

Dobby looked at her. She didn't seem too badly hurt, just shaken.

"Winky is used to being knocked over like that," She continued. "Winky is so small that tall witches and wizards do not see Winky."

Dobby helped her stand up. She was right about being tiny. Dobby himself was small for a house elf but Winky was only as tall as his shoulder. She had big brown eyes that seemed unusually innocent for a house elf. Her head was covered with a mop of deep brown hair, cut awkwardly so that part of it fell as an uneven fringe over her forehead. Dobby felt a strange urge to protect her that grew stronger the more he looked at her.

The two house elves began to pick up the various boxes and bags that lay scattered around them. They were just finished when an unfamiliar voice spoke.

"Winky, what are you doing? And why is there another house elf here? And WHY are all my parcels on the_ ground_?"

This must be Winky's mistress, Dobby thought.

Winky answered her Mistress, "Winky fell over Miss, She tripped. Dobby came to help Winky Miss. He was being kind."

"Very well. Dobby I assume you have somewhere to be. Come along Winky, we have more shops to visit."

Winky thanked Dobby for helping her, picked up the pile of shopping and chased her mistress down the road. Dobby looked on in amazement. Winky's mistress hadn't shouted at her, or ordered her to punish herself. She had almost been civil with the two house elves.

He continued to watch Winky for a moment then turned around to follow his own masters into the bookstore…


	5. The Idea

**The Idea!**

**A/N: I think I'm going to continue with the 5 years later thing for a while. I want to get to after Hogwarts soon, so I can start Lucius' Death Eater career. (And it hurts too much to keep causing Dobby pain)**

Dobby hadn't been looking forward to this day. It was the day that Lucius' friends were coming to stay, and he knew from experience that they were almost as bad as his young master was. They liked making up new punishments for him that involved worse pain than ironing his hands, if that were possible. Once they had made them up Lucius would order Dobby to do them, while they watched and sniggered. Of course Dobby had no choice but to brand himself or punch himself or whatever it was they had decided he was to do.

Needless to say, he was not looking forward to their visit.

They arrived around lunchtime. Dobby was just setting the table for his Master's meal when he heard the doorbell ring. He heard Lucius answer it and cringed as he heard the three boy's feet coming towards him.

"Well, if it isn't the little house-rat! What's his name again Lucius?" One of the newcomers asked. Dobby thought his name was something like Avery.

"Dobby," Lucius replied with a sneer.

Dobby clenched his fists behind his back. They were barely here five minutes and already they had his back up. Lucius turned to Dobby:

"Dobby, get out of here. My friends and I would like sometime alone to decide on our afternoon's…. entertainment. You will be called when we have decided."

Dobby slipped gratefully out of the room. He quickly made his way to the kitchen, which was the one place he knew that no-one would disturb him. He grabbed his little broom and began to sweep furiously in an attempt to calm himself down. Eventually it worked, and he stopped for a moment to think.

Not for the first time he felt his mind wander back to that day in Diagon Alley when he had met Winky. Dobby wasn't sure why this memory was still so strong, after all it had been 5 years since that day, but yet he still clung to it. Maybe it was because of that feeling he had had for Winky, a feeling that had been completely pointless, as her mistress was kind to her. Maybe that was the reason…. Maybe he clung to this memory in desperate hope that his own masters might begin to treat him better….. It still confused Dobby. He wasn't sure why he'd felt that way when he was with her, or why he longed to see her again.

Suddenly something clicked in Dobby's brain. He didn't have to take this treatment from his masters. If Winky was treated like that by her mistress, why couldn't he be? Maybe if he started standing up to the Malfoys they would start treating him better.

Dobby could have jumped for joy. There was something he could do! He would just start refusing to do things, and not do the punishments if there was no reason for them. It would be hard to fight the tugs at his chest but he could take baby steps…

Dobby turned to get the dustpan, and he smiled for the first time in 15 years…

**A/N: Yes BettinaW, at least that's how I always imagined that they met anyway.**


	6. The Stranger

**The Stranger**

**A/N: This one is four years later. Lucius is 20 already! (Sorry for all the time gap changes, tell me if it's confusing please)**

"DOBBY!"

Dobby heard the voice of his younger master shouting for him. It was the tenth time that day. He considered ignoring it but after a moment's thought, decided against it. He had been disobedient too often that week. His master would notice and punish him if he didn't reply.

Still, he waited a minute or so before answering.

"Yes, Master?"

Lucius Malfoy was sitting in the Breakfast room with an anxious expression on his face. He seemed to be running his hands through the ends of his long blond hair. He looked up with a slight start as Dobby spoke.

"Dobby, I have people coming over for dinner. Prepare a meal for six. After the meal we will be having a short meeting. Do not disturb us unless you are called."

"Yes Master," Dobby bowed to Lucius and started to make his exit. Just as he reached the door a thought occurred to him and he turned.

"Does Master Lucius know what meal he would prefer Dobby to serve his guests?"

Lucius thought about it. "hmm…. Roast Duck with that sauce you make. Now hurry up and get cooking! My guests will be here in an hour!"

Dobby Apparated to the kitchen to save time. Trust Lucius to give him an hour to prepare a meal that would have taken most people at least twice that. A lesser house elf couldn't have done it but with the help of copious amounts of magic, Dobby managed it. He had timed it so perfectly that he was pulling the duck out of the oven as the doorbell rang.

As he started to carve, he began to wonder who it was his master was so flustered about having for dinner. Of course, Lucius often had people over to dinner, but they never caused him to act like he had been acting all day. Dobby decided to have a peek. He covered over the meat and Apparated up to the 1st floor drawing room. He knew that no one would be in here, the room was reserved for the lady of the house's guests, and there currently was no lady of the house.

Quietly he slipped out to the landing and peered through the banisters. He saw two people he had seen before; he seemed to remember that they were sisters. Lucius was always talking about one of them, Narcissa, her name was.

Then there were his two masters, both Abraxas and Lucius. Both had a look of poorly hidden excitement and were gesturing the guests towards the dining room.

Dobby quickly turned his attention to the two strangers among the group. He couldn't see the face of the man closest to him. The other man however, he could see. Dobby found himself repelled by the man instantly. He looked closer and detected something vaguely strange about the stranger. He seemed to have a slightly snake-like undertone to his face. Dobby shuddered.

Then the stranger spoke, and his voice was curiously high for a grown man. It was also ice cold and cruel.

"Lucius, My cloak…" He seemed to be expecting something.

"Yes my Lord."

Dobby watched in amazement and wonder as Lucius Malfoy crossed to the stranger and removed his cloak. He nearly passed out when he witnessed his master bend in a deep bow to the man. Who was this stranger who made his master act so out of character, who his master bowed to like a servant?

Filled with amazement, and determined to find out as much as he could about the stranger, he Apparated back to the kitchen just in time to stop the potatoes bubbling over.

**A/N: Wow this is a long chapter! Enjoy and please review! It makes me all smiley when I hear from you!**


	7. Lord Voldemort

**Lord Voldemort**

**A/N: Continuing straight on from the last chapter…. Who is this stranger and what does he want?**

Dobby finished putting the final touches to the plates, and with the help of a simple levitation spell, carried them all at once up to the dining room where the six diners were waiting. He directed a plate to each person, and was making his way back out of the room when he heard himself being addressed by the high voiced stranger.

"House elf!"

"Yes, Master _ ?"

"Lord. My name is Lord Voldemort. You will address me as my Lord." The stranger answered.

"Yes, my Lord," Dobby corrected. "_My Lord?"_ He thought.

"What is your name elf?" Voldemort asked in a condescending manner.

"Dobby, sir," Dobby said cautiously.

"Dobby, what is your job?" Still the extremely condescending tone. Dobby was beginning to not like him.

"To serve my Masters?"

"And who are they?"

"Master Abraxas and Master Lucius, sir. Dobby must obey their instructions." Dobby added _"even if it causes Dobby pain" _in his head.

"Correct," Voldemort turned to the Malfoys, "Your house elf passes my test, Abraxas, Lucius."

Dobby stood still, uncertain what test he had just passed, or whether he was allowed to leave. He was confused by this man.

"Dobby, you may go." Relief flooded through Dobby as Abraxas finally spoke and brought some sense of normality back.

"Thank you Master. Dobby will be back with dessert shortly." Once again he turned to go. He was at the door when he heard a whisper that sounded like Cru- something. Suddenly he felt a horrible pain all over his body. It felt like all his limbs were being ripped off. He screamed with the pain, and in the gap between the first wave of torture and the second, he heard from a distance the sound of hysterical laughter. One of the women was laughing her head off at him.

As soon as it had come, the pain stopped. Dobby got up shakily from where he had landed. He hadn't even felt himself fall over the pain.

"Does this amuse you Bellatrix?" Voldemort was asking the woman to his left. She was practically sitting on his lap she was so close to him.

"Yes my Lord." She simpered.

"Very good," he remarked, and turned away from her.

Dobby quickly left the room before they could hurt him anymore. He didn't stop until he reached his sanctuary in the kitchen. Taking deep breaths he calmed himself, and returned to the dining room with the dessert plates.

He paused for a moment outside the door to listen to the conversation. Lucius was talking.

"My Lord, we received word this morning that Caradoc Dearborn has successfully been killed. Several members of the McKinnon family have been dispatched of as well. Unfortunately, at least two Death Eaters were killed and several injured. They put up a hard fight."

"Fools! When will they realise resistance is futile?"

Dobby decided not to delay any longer. He pushed open the door and set down the desserts. On his way out the horrible pain came again, and Dobby fell once more. Once it stopped he got up, brushed himself off, and as he was going out the door he heard the horrible man-snake say:

"And that is how to treat them, like the vermin they are.."

Dobby had never thought he would hate someone more than his masters, but in this man he had found the exception…


	8. The Meeting

**The Meeting**

**A/N: Still following on with the dinner meeting. (This chapter was so hard to write because AVPM Voldemort kept popping into my head, complete with To Dance Again lyrics!) Slight changes to Chapter 5, reviewers pointed something out to me about Dobby's train of thought which was very clever and made amazing sense so I changed it. (Also, why am I reading my own writing like a mixture of John Green and Charlie? I spent waay too much time on youtube last night...)**

Dobby was listening at the door. He knew he shouldn't be, house elves didn't do things like this. His mama was probably yelling at him from the land of the dead, but he didn't care. Something was telling him he needed to hear as much of this conversation as possible.

So far the conversation had been about a war Dobby hadn't even known existed. Details of how people had been done away with or disappeared, stories of how various people had slipped away and Master Lucius had even been describing battles where he had been fighting beside giants and werewolves! If Dobby had had any positive feelings towards his younger master, he might have felt worry at that, but he didn't. He just felt disgusted at the things that all five witches and wizards were describing to Voldemort, who they all clearly worshipped.

Suddenly, the conversation changed to a completely different tone.

"All of you know that you are my most trusted followers. I have a task for you all. This… (_He must be showing them something_, Dobby thought) is very precious to me and I wouldn't like anything to happen to it. I am entrusting it to you Lucius, and I will be most displeased if you do not guard it with your life."

_A little harsh_, Dobby thought. Then again he didn't know what it was that Voldemort was giving his master.

"If for any reason I should die, this book becomes even more important, am I making myself clear?" Lord Voldemort continued, " It must in that case be put under the highest possible security. It contains vital information. There will come a time when I will ask for it, or will ask you to get it into Hogwarts. There will be no questions either now or then. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes my Lord," came a chorus from the five other people in the room.

"Very good. I shall now depart from your company. Lucius fetch my cloak."

Dobby started and managed to Apparate to the upstairs landing, all the while silently praying the crack his Apparition caused wasn't loud enough to cause alarm. He watched through the banisters as Lucius fetched Voldemort's cloak.

"Lucius, one last thing. Fetch your house elf."

Dobby cringed as his name was called.

"Yes Master?" He Apparated down to the hallway.

"Crucio!" Voldemort cast the spell, and Dobby felt the piercing, stabbing pain for the third time that night.

Dobby felt, rather than heard, the man's cold, cruel laugh as he tortured Dobby. The woman, Bellatrix, was twirling her wand in her fingers, and laughing her maniacal laugh. Behind her, her sister Narcissa watched, not laughing, just watching, as Voldemort and Bellatrix took turns to torture him for about five long minutes. At one point Dobby thought he saw a brief flicker of sorrow flash through her eyes.

And then it was over, and Voldemort was gone.

The five remaining people went into the drawing room, including the man that Dobby hadn't been able to see earlier. He wasn't so much a man as a boy, he looked around fifteen and had a hooked nose and rather greasy hair.

Dobby was sent to make tea but when he got to the kitchen he collapsed on the floor for a full five minutes. Then he got up and continued to do the jobs he was ordered to do, wishing that the night would end and storing the conversation he heard overheard into his memory, perhaps for future use…

**A/N: What was that all about? Let me know what you think, and as always please review! Getting to see your thoughts always encourages me to write more! Also Constructive criticism is always welcome, and as you now have an example of, will be taken into account! (Read chapter 5 again! Do it! Now!) **


	9. The Prophecy

**The Prophecy**

**A/N: BettinaW, it was always my opinion that Voldemort would have told more than one person about the diary, in order to keep it as safe as possible. I doubt, however that Snape and Bella would have known any more than that it existed, that would have been information that only Lucius knew, and even he wasn't told everything. **

Dobby was eavesdropping again. It had become something of a habit, as he always seemed to end up standing at the keyhole when Lucius had meetings. Most of the time they were about strategies and the like, but sometimes, like tonight, they were very interesting.

Over the past five years Dobby had learned a lot about Lucius and his friends. He had learned a lot about the man who called himself Lord Voldemort as well. But what he had learned most about was the object that had been given to Lucius Malfoy on the night of Voldemort's first visit.

Dobby had found out that it was a diary that was of special importance to Voldemort, as it was to be used to open the Chamber of Secrets in Hogwarts school. Dobby didn't know what the Chamber of Secrets was, but he guessed that it probably wasn't something that most people wanted open. Voldemort had said that there were enchantments upon it that allowed it to control the monster that lay below the school. Dobby remembered wondering what it was, and feeling sick when Voldemort had described how one girl had been killed by the monster.

This evening Voldemort was here for dinner again, and the evening had been fairly normal. Dobby had been tortured, dinner had been served, and Dobby had been tortured some more. Dobby had been just about to serve dessert when someone burst in through the fireplace. He looked wild, like he had been dragged backwards through a bush, and his eyes were wide. He also seemed to be out of breath. He bowed low to Voldemort and began to speak:

"My Lord I bring urgent news! I have come from the Hogs Head pub in Hogsmeade… Dumbledore was there….. interviewing a Divination teacher….. she made a prophecy….."

Lord Voldemort looked unimpressed, "Why should a woman making a prophecy bother me Severus?"

The newcomer continued, "My Lord…. It was about you!"

Voldemort sat bolt upright. "What did she say?"

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..."_

"There are only two sets of people to have escaped me three times. The Potters and the Longbottoms," Lord Voldemort mused, "Are either of them due to have a child soon?"

"Both of them, my Lord," Lucius replied.

"Then this will require some thinking. Thank you Severus, as always you have proved yourself a most loyal supporter. Will you stay for dessert?"

"If there is spare… Narcissa?"

"Our house elf will prepare extra. Dobby!"

At this point Dobby had felt himself called by his new mistress. Lucius and Narcissa had been married the year before.

"Yes Mistress?" He had asked after he had arrived.

"Prepare an extra serving of dessert for Severus."

"Yes Mistress."

Dobby had returned with the dessert, and after serving Snape, had retreated back to his hiding place just outside the door. However, the rest of the conversation had been quite dull, with Lord Voldemort hardly joining in at all, and Dobby had been glad when the guests had decided to leave.

Now he lay in his little hidey hole wide awake, wondering what was the prophecy all about. He couldn't make heads or tail of it. Of course the obvious answer was that it meant someone was going to kill Voldemort, but a prophecy was never that straightforward. Dobby wondered if Snape had heard the entire thing, or just part of it.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..."_

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..."_

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..."_

As Dobby drifted to sleep, the words he had heard earlier that day began to recite themselves over and over again, until he fell into a deep slumber…


	10. The Two Boys

**The Two Boys**

**A/N: Here we are, the day of Harry's birth. Updated version.**

Dobby watched silently as his master and Lord Voldemort wore a path into the ancient carpet. It was nearing midnight on the 30th of July, and Dobby knew they were waiting anxiously to hear from their spies in St. Mungos whether Alice Longbottom or Lily Potter had given birth. He could tell that Voldemort was intensely worried, he kept cracking his neck.

Dobby also knew that the prophecy had referred to a boy, so that narrowed it down even more.

Suddenly a portrait of one of Lucius' ancestors appeared back in its frame.

"The Longbottom girl just gave birth to a boy!" He chortled. Dobby drew in a sharp breath. This particular portrait had a counterpart in St. Mungo's, so it couldn't be wrong.

"Any news on Lily?" Lucius asked.

"Not yet, although I doubt we will have long to wait."

"Return and tell us when there is fresh news," Voldemort snapped. His face looked very dangerous at this point, and he looked deep in thought. Once again he paced, for about an hour or more, while Dobby watched, hidden from view in a passageway he had found a few weeks previously. The passages were obviously meant for a house elf to use, as they stretched all over the house with entrances in every room but were only about 3 and a half feet tall.

Dobby heard a baby cry in the distance. That would be his new master Draco, who had been born only a few weeks ago. He had the classic Malfoy look: Blond hair and almost colourless eyes.

The clock in the hallway struck midnight and Dobby was about to give up watching when the portrait returned abruptly.

"Sir, she has given birth to a boy!"

Voldemort froze. He didn't move for about a minute, and Dobby could almost _see_ his thoughts. When he spoke it was in a low voice, full of decision.

"It is the Potter boy."

"My Lord, how do you know? The boy is but a half blood. Surely you do not expect this boy to be more powerful than the pureblood Longbottom boy?" Lucius seemed agog.

"Lucius, what I think is none of your concern!" Voldemort screamed at him.

Lucius flinched. "My Lord, I was merely suggesting that you should take the blood status of the two boys into account."

"Lucius, I have done so and I believe it is the Potter boy." He turned to the portrait. "What have they named the boy?"

The ancient Malfoy replied, "Harry, they named him Harry."

"Harry Potter, how very interesting."

Dobby smiled to himself in his little hidey hole. He sounded the name out.

"Harry Potter."


	11. The One with the Power

**The One with the power…**

**A/N: Hey! Okay two or three things. One: Please reread chapter 10 before you read this because I changed it a little bit to include things like Draco being born and midnight and stuff. Two: Thank you so much for all the reviews so far! You guys are awesome! Three: I'm not sure why but part of this chapter ended up sounding a little like AVPS Not Over Yet. Maybe that's just in my head though.**

It had started as just another evening, Dobby mused to himself that night, nothing really out of the ordinary. Narcissa and Lucius had been having a rare family evening with their son Draco, who was now just over a year old.

The reason that the Malfoys were having such a quiet evening was that it was Halloween. Lucius and his friends, who had in the last few years begun to call themselves "Death Eaters", always took the night of Halloween off. Dobby assumed that it was just something that wizards did, like at Christmas or Easter time.

Narcissa had just put Draco to bed, and Lucius and Abraxas were relaxing in the sitting room. Dobby was finished his chores, and decided to wander in his hidden passageways. He regularly used them now to carry out his daily tasks, and occasionally to spy on his masters. He began to wander and eventually found himself in the tunnel outside the room the family were using. He was about to turn another way when he heard the crash of something breaking. Then he heard a scream, Narcissa's scream.

Dobby ran to his spying spot, and peered through the little doorway. He saw all three adult members of his family staring in disbelief and horror at the fireplace.

"Why is Dobby's masters looking there?" Dobby muttered to himself.

He slipped a little way into the room so he could see the fireplace better. He saw a man's face in the fire, no, _made_ of the fire. Dobby heard him speak and listened intently.

"It is true," the man said, sounding saddened and vaguely panicked, "He is gone. The Dark Lord is dead."

Dobby dug a finger in his ear. Had the man really just said that Lord Voldemort was _dead?_

The man continued, "He was at the Potter's, we figure he must have gone to kill the boy. James and Lily are dead, we found their bodies, but there's no sign of the boy. The Order must have got him out before we arrived."

Dobby glanced at his masters. They looked horror struck, and all three were white as ghosts. Lucius spoke tremulously:

"What of my Lord?"

"We only found pieces of him, Lucius. I've never seen anything like it."

Lucius turned even paler. Dobby thought he looked faint.

The man in the fire continued to speak, "What do we do Lucius? The Ministry will have the Aurors out within hours! We're doomed!"

"Yaxley, do you think I don't know that?!" Lucius snapped, "We need to plan, hide, do something! Give me a few minutes to think and I will contact you when I decide."

"Yes Lucius. Just don't take too long, they won't wait for you to make up your mind."

And then the man in the fire disappeared. Lucius turned to his wife and father.

"What do we do?"

He sounded panicked but at the same time defeated. Dobby listened closely. A few minutes passed until anyone spoke. Then suddenly Narcissa came up with an idea.

"We could always pretend we were Imperiused?"

Lucius, who had his head in his hands, slowly looked up at her. What she was suggesting slowly dawned on him and a half smile appeared on his face. Then he jumped up, grabbed her and kissed her.

"Narcissa I think you just saved us! Of course! If we pretend….. and a donation would help of course… guaranteed to work….." Mumbling to himself, Lucius began to pace up and down. He seemed to be gone half mad, Dobby thought.

Once he had finished muttering to himself, Lucius turned to the others:

"We must not tell any of the others of our plan. If we do, then they will copy us and it won't work. We will tell them we are going into hiding, and we will tell them it would be wise to do the same. I shall go to contact Yaxley."

As he finished, Lucius got up and strode towards the door. Dobby, afraid he would be seen, dived back into his tunnel and ran to the kitchen. As he ran it suddenly dawned on him what the conversation meant. Lord Voldemort dead! At the hands of a boy no bigger than Draco! It was too much for the little house elf to contain. Once he reached the kitchen, he let out a quiet whoop of delight and made all the utensils dance in mid-air.

Voldemort being dead meant no more regular torture sessions! Bellatrix would still be there sometimes of course, but she didn't visit much. She rarely came without Voldemort, which meant that even she would be here less frequently!

Dobby's mind raced with all the things that would happen because of this. With Lord Voldemort gone, the war would surely end. Dobby's masters wouldn't remember to punish him as much if they were trying to defend themselves from arrest.

And then into Dobby's mind slid the memory of the night he had heard the prophecy. "_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…."_

Harry Potter, thought Dobby. The Boy Who Defeated the Dark Lord. The Boy Who Lived…


	12. Magic from the Boy

**Magic from the boy**

**A/N: Guys I'm so sorry this took so long! Life is hectic because school's back and stuff so I probably won't be updating as often as before, although fingers crossed it won't be as long as this gap. Again I'm really sorry about the wait! On with the chapter!**

CRASH!

Dobby looked up in alarm from the portrait he was dusting. It was of one of Lucius' ancestors, positioned so that its occupant always presided over the main banquet room. It could be seen from every seat in the long hall, not that those seats were ever all filled.

CRASH!

The noise came again. Dobby got down off his ladder and went to investigate it.

As he moved closer to where he thought it had come from, Dobby felt a tingle of magic. This sparked his curiosity, as he rarely felt magic as powerful and untamed as this. In fact, he seemed to remember the last time he had felt it was when Lucius had used magic for the first time. Turning the corner, he spotted the now seven year old Draco sitting on the floor watching two suits of armour duel each other in mid-air.

Dobby let out a squeak of surprise, and ran down the corridor to find his master and mistress. He had a strange feeling they would want to see what their son was doing. Down the stairs he practically flew, until he tumbled in a heap into the breakfast room.

"Master….. Mistress…" he panted, " Draco…. Upstairs….. magic….."

"Draco's using magic?" Narcissa jumped up from her seat and ran out the door. She was closely followed by Lucius. Dobby lay panting on the floor. Then he heard the cries of delight as the Malfoys came upon their son. No doubt the suits of armour would be left to Dobby to clean up, but for now he was almost happy. Not for the Malfoys, but for himself. The fact that Draco had now performed magic pretty much guaranteed his letter from Hogwarts. This meant that Dobby would have the school year free from the youngest of his three masters!

Dobby pulled himself off the floor and returned to the portrait he had been dusting. It was quite indignant about being left on the floor but cheered up considerably when Dobby told him the news.

**394 words!**


	13. Harry Potter

**Harry Potter**

**A/N: Okay so my routine is a little more settled now, but I probably will only be publishing at the weekends from now on. But I plan on writing lots this weekend so I can just put chapters up when I have a minute. On with the story….**

Dobby watched from the window as Draco was fitted for his new school uniform. He was now 11 and the whole family was in Diagon Alley to purchase his schoolbooks and equipment for Hogwarts. They had already been to Flourish and Blotts, and Dobby's arms ached from carrying the heavy books around. They were currently in Madam Malkins, where Draco was making an unearthly fuss about nothing.

"Quit poking me with your pins woman!" he screamed at the witch measuring him for his robes.

Dobby heard the soft tinkle of the bell over the door as another customer walked in. He glanced up to see if it was anyone interesting. It was a small, skinny boy of roughly Draco's age, wearing clothes far too big for him. He looked around nervously. His hand went up to brush his untidy black hair out of his eyes, and as he did a distinctively shaped scar appeared. A lightning bolt. Dobby froze.

"Harry Potter!" he squeaked internally.

The two boys began to converse. Draco seemed oblivious to who it was he was talking to. They began to speak of things like houses and Quidditch, which Dobby knew nothing of. He marvelled at how Harry Potter seemed to know as little as Dobby himself did.

Then they began to speak of blood status and Dobby's ears pricked up. He couldn't believe his ears when he heard Harry Potter seem to get annoyed at Draco. He spoke shortly and in a voice like ice. Draco however didn't seem to notice.

All too soon Draco was finished getting fitted and they left the shop. Dobby was still in shock from seeing Harry Potter. They ran into Narcissa just down the street and it suddenly seemed to dawn on Draco who he had been speaking to.

"Mother, I just met Harry Potter in Madam Malkin's" He said slowly

"Who dear?" Narcissa asked, as she hadn't heard him.

"Harry Potter," Draco repeated.

"Draco, I don't want you making friends with that boy…. And Don't tell your father about him!"

Dobby laughed silently behind their backs. A Malfoy make friends with Harry Potter? The Boy Who Lived? Never in a million years!


	14. The Book

**The Book**

**A/N: First of all, it has been so long since I updated! I'm sorry! Second of all, I have made slight changes to Chapter 8, so that it fits better into the story. It's only like a line or two so you can reread it if you want, but it's probably not necessary. I hope you guys like this chapter, please review! Once again sorry it took so long (To be honest I think I've been trying to put off ending the story. This is not the end though!)**

Dobby was spying again. He was hidden in his little tunnel outside the drawing room. It made him feel vaguely nostalgic standing there, as he hadn't had much cause to use the tunnels since the day Voldemort died. The secret meetings that had been held there had quickly faded to mere memory. But now a meeting was being held between the adult Malfoys, and Dobby was curious.

"They want to search the house Narcissa! The book! What do we do with it? He said not to use it unless we got instructions!" Lucius was frantic.

"Hide it! Give it to someone! Pin the blame on someone you don't like Lucius! Play dirty, like you always do! Who's organising the search?" Narcissa seemed slightly more rational.

"Arthur Weasley."

"Well there you go! Find some way of planting it on him or one of his blood traitor children! They're friends with the Potter boy! Kill two birds with one stone. If the Prophet finds out that Harry Potter is friends with people who hoard Dark items and are Blood traitors they'll have a field day!"

"That's brilliant Narcissa! We must find out what day the Weasleys are going to Diagon Alley."

Dobby Apparated from his tunnel to the kitchen. He stopped for a few minutes to think. What book were they talking about? Suddenly the memory of Voldemort's book slipped into his mind, and he understood. The book had belonged to Voldemort. Obviously owning anything that had belonged to Voldemort was a fairly bad idea at the moment. Dobby had spent days being ordered to throw things out, or bring them to Lucius' friends.

He felt the tug at his chest. He was being called, probably to fetch the book or something. He Apparated back upstairs.

"Yes master?"

"Dobby, go to the safe and fetch me the small, tatty book you find there."

"Yes master."

Dobby made his way upstairs. He didn't Apparate, mainly as it wore him out to do it too many times in a row. He also needed all his strength to open the safe, as magic didn't work on it. He eventually made it to the room and got the safe open. Panting, he looking inside and saw the book.

Dobby bent to pick it up. As he touched it, Dobby thought he heard a small voice whisper "_Dobby…."_

Curious, Dobby lifted the book out of the safe and opened it. He flicked through the pages, which were all peculiarly blank. All that fuss was for a blank book? Dobby continued to flick through the pages, until his eyes was caught by a small piece of writing inside the cover.

Dobby couldn't read, but if he could, he would have known that that piece of writing said "Property of Tom Marvolo Riddle."

Suddenly the book began to quiver in Dobby's hands. Dobby looked at it in alarm. He had never seen a book act like this open before. Its pages flicked and landed on a page roughly halfway through the book. A scene appeared on the pages, and Dobby watched in horror as the book showed him what he presumed to be Hogwarts. It showed him scenes of a giant snake sliding down corridors, and of people freezing upon sight of it. The scene vanished and writing appeared in its place. It said:

"This is what happened before, and will happen again….. for the Heir of Slytherin will soon be back at Hogwarts…"

Dobby slammed the book shut and practically flew down the stairs, such was his hurry to have the book out of his hands. He almost threw the book at Lucius, which was a bad idea, as it ended with having to iron his hands again.

"We will give it to Ginny Weasley first opportunity we get…"

Lucius' words followed Dobby down the stairs. He made a vow to himself that neither Harry Potter or his Wheezys would ever have to face scenes like the ones he saw in the book. Dobby had enough knowledge from spying to know that if Lucius managed to get that book to Ginny and to Hogwarts, then terrible, terrible things would happen…


End file.
